Europe looks ahead to 'damage control' Brexit talks

By Baris Seckin

VALLETTA, Malta (AA) - The EU's duty is to minimize the uncertainty and disruption caused by Brexit for European citizens, businesses and member states, President of the European Council Donald Tusk said on Friday.

Speaking during a joint news conference with Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat in the capital Valletta, Tusk outlined Brussels's guidelines during the withdrawal process of Britain from the bloc.

"As I have already said, in essence it is about damage control," Tusk said.

The U.K. government on Wednesday officially began the process of leaving the EU, more than nine months after the electorate voted for Brexit.

A letter from Prime Minister Theresa May was sent to EU leaders, formally asking the union to implement the start of exit talks and ending a relationship that had lasted for 44 years.

Tusk said the bloc needed to think of people first. "Citizens from all over the EU live, work and study in the U.K. And as long as the U.K. remains a member, their rights are fully protected.

"But we need to settle their status and situations after the withdrawal with reciprocal, enforceable and non-discriminatory guarantees," he said.

Tusk said Brussels' second duty was "to prevent a legal vacuum for our companies that stems from the fact that after Brexit the EU laws will no longer apply to the U.K."

"Third, we will also need to make sure that the UK honors all financial commitments and liabilities it has taken as a member state.

"It is only fair towards all those people, communities, scientists, farmers and so on to whom we, all the 28, promised and owe this money," Tusk added.

There are a number of key issues to be negotiated with the other 27 members of the union before the U.K. officially leaves.

These include the timeframe for wrapping up the EU-U.K. talks, which remains unclear but has been an early sticking point ahead of negotiations.

It has been speculated that exit negotiations will continue for around two years. If there is no extension of this deadline, the U.K. will leave the EU on March 29, 2019.

The U.K. is also expected to honor its financial commitments to the EU until its membership formally comes to an end.

The total amount London can expect to pay to Brussels until then it estimated at around £52 billion ($65 billion).